With their stunning offer for Liverpool’s superstar Mohamed Salah, Al Ittihad have taken their billion-dollar transfer market attack on football’s established order to a new level.
One of four teams controlled by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the country, Al Ittihad has already spent £40 million on Liverpool’s Fabinho this offseason. They have also brought in French superstars Karim Benzema (the current Ballon d’Or winner) and N’Golo Kante.
Although Liverpool and Salah, who is 31 years old, turned down a move earlier in the summer season, he has been labeled their priority target.
In a social media post earlier this month, Salah’s agent Ramy Abbas said, “If we considered leaving LFC this year, we wouldn’t have renewed the contract last summer.” Mohamed has not wavered in his loyalty to LFC.
Salah has two more seasons (including this one) on a contract that is said to be worth about £350,000 per week, making him the highest-paid player in Liverpool history.
However, it seems that the athlete was seduced by the potential of a massive increase in salary.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Salah had “no intention to enter into any negotiations” earlier this month, but Al Ittihad has significantly increased their offer as of this week.
In addition, he said, “To raise their bid to the player… the financial package proposed from Al Ittihad to Mo Salah is now way bigger, almost double the offer from the beginning of August.”
Continuing, he said, “From what I’m hearing, there’s been direct contact from Salah’s side to Liverpool to discuss that,” but adding that the club’s answer was solid and that Salah would not be allowed to move.
Sky Sports and The Athletic both claimed on Thursday that Liverpool had notified Al-Ittihad that Salah was “not for sale,” and the Reds reportedly would not sell for any price.
Reports suggest that the new wage offer puts him on track to earn more than Cristiano Ronaldo in only three seasons, at a rate of almost £65 million ($A127.6 million) annually. Some news outlets have reported an even greater estimate.
Liverpool and other English teams have an additional challenge since their transfer market shuts on September 1st, whereas the transfer deadline for the Saudi Pro League does not close until September 20th.
Liverpool’s manager, Jurgen Klopp, voiced his displeasure with the situation at the start of the current month.
In his opinion, Saudi Arabia now has “massive influence,” as Klopp put it.
The Saudi Arabian transfer window is three weeks longer, which is pretty much the worst thing that could happen. If what I heard was accurate, then it would be counterproductive at least in Europe.
Uefa and Fifa need to figure out a way to deal with it. We must adapt to its growing importance in our lives.
